After the homily and Creed, the bishop introduces the Litany of Saints (II, 57). II, 58 instructs that on Sundays or during the Easter season the people remain standing. Otherwise, all kneel. That distinction doesn’t seem relevant for a faith community’s once-in-a-lifetime celebration here. The following instruction in II, 59 illustrates that the Litany itself is adaptable and can’t just be taken off the Missal page:

59. The cantors begin the litany; they add, at the proper place, names of other saints (the titular of the church, the patron saint of the place, and the saints whose relics are to be deposited, if this is to take place) and petitions suitable to the occasion.

To those saints’ names suggested, others might include the mother parish, other parishes of the region, the titular saint of the cathedral. My parish’s student center has rooms named for important saints. we routinely include these patrons in the Easter Vigil Litany of Saints.

The 2003 ICEL draft gives what the 1977/78 edition does not, a list of those petitions:

Be merciful to us sinnersR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerGovern and protect your holy ChurchR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerKeep the pope and all the ordainedin faithful service to your ChurchR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerBring all peoples together in peace and true harmonyR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerStrengthen all of us and keep usin your holy serviceR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerConsecrate this church to your worshipR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayerJesus, Son of the living GodR. Lord, we ask you, hear our prayer

about Todd Flowerday

A Roman Catholic lay person, married (since 1996), with one adopted child (since 2001). I serve a parish in music ministry.

about John Donaghy

John is a lay missionary since 2007 with a parish in western Honduras. Before that he served in campus ministry and social justice ministry in Iowa. His ministry blog is http://hermanojuancito.blogspot.com

He also blogs reflections on the lectionary and saints/heroes/events of the date at http://walktheway.wordpress.com

He'll be a long-term contributor here analyzing the Latin American bishops' document from their 2007 Aparecida Conference.